8/2 vs Yankees

[Fan_since_Boggs]

Considering Sale didn't start, considering the SOX have had trouble with Sabathia, and considering the SOX were down 4 runs before SoxHop could even get a beer, this was a truly great win. One of the best of the season. Brian Johnson has been a light in an injured tunnel.

 

It was a gritty performance by Johnson. The thing I like about him: that curveball is an effective put away pitch. When he gets two strikes on a guy, he can finish the batter off with the curve, a plus offering. There are many bottom of the rotation starters who don't have that kind of put away pitch, which is why Johnson profiles as something better than your typical bottom of the rotation pitcher.

 

I'm hoping Brian Johnson can develop into a David Wells, who also had an excellent curve. With that said, odds are against Johnson developing into a pitcher as good as Wells.

Edited August 3, 2018 by Fan_since_Boggs

[Fan_since_Boggs]

All of these runs, three HRs by Pearce, and all I can think is "Brian Johnson struck out 11 in 5 innings." How? Like, really, how?!

 

Good point on Johnson.

[Dojji]

It was a gritty performance by Johnson. The thing I like about him: that curveball is an effective put away pitch. When he gets two strikes on a guy, he can finish the batter off with the curve, a plus offering. There are many bottom of the rotation starters who don't have that kind of put away pitch, which is why Johnson profiles as something better than your typical bottom of the rotation pitcher.

 

I'm hoping Brian Johnson can develop into a David Wells, who also had an excellent curve. With that said, odds are against Johnson developing into a pitcher as good as Wells.

 

The odds were also against Wells developing into a pitcher as good as Wells, but that's neither here nor there.

 

Johnson had one job. Get through 5 in a position to hand a lead to the bullpen, so that we don't have to burn our high leverage relievers. That mission was accomplished tonight. We were able to finish the game with the bottom half of the bullpen, and have all our horses for the next game.

 

Kimbrel, Barnes, and Hembree, which at the moment are our 3 most effective relievers, were all kept out. That was made possible by the refreshingly adequate job from our young emergency starter. Well done to him.

 

The 2 inning performance from Brandon Workman is going to be a forgotten contribution for most fans, but I honestly think that what he did was very significant. If we take the next game, we have Workman to thank for soaking up that extra inning tonight and keeping out high leverage relievers out of the game.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

The big Yankees board is going absolutely insane right now. It's one of the most entertaining things I've ever read. Doom and gloom and even more unnecessary negativity than our gamethreads. I'm going to read the entire thing.

 

Do you have the link to that forum? Just wondering what Yankees forum you are talking about.

[Maxbialystock]

Just heard that today the SOX FO told Betts they wanted him to play his entire career here and offered him a long term contract. Betts said thanks, but no thanks, he'll go year to year. Sad, that's it's always about the money, even when the money offered is in the multi-millions. Can't blame Betts, when it was the owners who made all these obscene contracts possible. I've said this before and I'll say it again; Charlie Finley was the smartest owner in the history of baseball. He saw the future and said "see ya."

 

I think there were several factors: Curt Flood broke the 'reserve clause;" MLBPA is probably the most powerful union in pro sports; agents, especially Scott Boras, are convincing players they should always shoot for the moon because often they will get it; owners in the big markets can pay big salaries and still make a profit. In his series on Baseball, Ken Burns has someone say that in the old days the average MLB player made 7 times the salary of the average fan. After Curt Flood and as of the making of that series, it was then 7 X 7 times (or 50 times as much as the average fan).

 

Years ago there was a very, very successful basketball coach at Butler. He and his wife Tracy were both from Indiana and were happy raising their kids in Indianapolis--plus she was/is a lawyer. His salary was $1M/year, which was all he needed but well under his probable value at a major program, several of which came calling while he was at Butler. I would have bet he would never leave Butler, but in fact his wife negotiated the contract with the Celtics for six years and $22M. I also would have bet you can't transfer great college coaching skill into success at the NBA level. My guess is that the whole Brad Stevens family is thriving in Boston as I write this. My point, I guess, is that people are unpredictable.

[jacksonianmarch]

It was one abysmal game. The umps killed our offense early, but it didn’t matter clearly with how the Sox offense just exploded. Need Sevy to step up today

[OH FOY]

Beating Severino tonight is going to be huge. Yanks are reeling and they need a stop tonight by their best.

[Bellhorn04]

The big Yankees board is going absolutely insane right now. It's one of the most entertaining things I've ever read. Doom and gloom and even more unnecessary negativity than our gamethreads. I'm going to read the entire thing.

 

The stuff being said about Boone is especially delightful.

[mvp 78]

6.5 back in August. Remember when Jacko said we'd be lucky to get the WC spot. LOL.

[kenmeister]

Would you guys start Pearce on Friday against Severino? Moreland has been slumping. I would go with Pearce--he deserves an extra start after a 3 HR night even against a tough righty in Severino. I might not play Moreland until Sunday (Tanaka).

 

I'm mighty impressed with our pickups Pearce and Kinsler. Play the hot hands I say!

[kenmeister]

It was one abysmal game. The umps killed our offense early, but it didn’t matter clearly with how the Sox offense just exploded. Need Sevy to step up today

 

You just made my morning I hope you make my morning again tomorrow.

[Kimmi]

What an amazing game. That was probably the most fun game of the season.

 

A big shout out to Pearce for his 3 HRs and to Kinsler for his offensive contributions, but especially for his excellent defense in the top of the 7th. Props all around to our offense. Also, a shout out to Dombrowski for his midseason trades. He has an innate ability to find the right guys before the deadline.

[Kimmi]

The odds were also against Wells developing into a pitcher as good as Wells, but that's neither here nor there.

 

Johnson had one job. Get through 5 in a position to hand a lead to the bullpen, so that we don't have to burn our high leverage relievers. That mission was accomplished tonight. We were able to finish the game with the bottom half of the bullpen, and have all our horses for the next game.

 

Kimbrel, Barnes, and Hembree, which at the moment are our 3 most effective relievers, were all kept out. That was made possible by the refreshingly adequate job from our young emergency starter. Well done to him.

 

The 2 inning performance from Brandon Workman is going to be a forgotten contribution for most fans, but I honestly think that what he did was very significant. If we take the next game, we have Workman to thank for soaking up that extra inning tonight and keeping out high leverage relievers out of the game.

 

Good point about Workman. He's been solid for us. Getting that extra inning from him did indeed save another arm in our pen.

[Bellhorn04]

What an amazing game. That was probably the most fun game of the season.

 

A big shout out to Pearce for his 3 HRs and to Kinsler for his offensive contributions, but especially for his excellent defense in the top of the 7th. Props all around to our offense. Also, a shout out to Dombrowski for his midseason trades. He has an innate ability to find the right guys before the deadline.

 

The most remarkable thing about last night's game was that Mookie was 6 for 6 in getting on base, and it was barely mentioned.

[Station 13]

The Yankees needed 102 pitches to get the first 9 outs. Wow. lol

[Kimmi]

The most remarkable thing about last night's game was that Mookie was 6 for 6 in getting on base, and it was barely mentioned.

 

Good point!

 

It's been pointed out by one of the beat writers that Mookie was struggling coming out of the ASB. After 2 days off, he comes out and does that. It might be purely coincidence, but maybe Cora's philosophy of resting players has more to it than meets the eye.

[Kimmi]

The Yankees needed 102 pitches to get the first 9 outs. Wow. lol

 

That was awesome. Simply awesome.

[kenmeister]

I'm on cloud 9 today. Go Sox! Long live Steven Pearce!

[Maxbialystock]

It was one abysmal game. The umps killed our offense early, but it didn’t matter clearly with how the Sox offense just exploded. Need Sevy to step up today

 

Who said "you're only as good as your next starting pitcher?" Agree with you that Severino needs to step up and I have absolutely no idea why he suddenly seems almost human.

[greenwell]

The Yankees needed 102 pitches to get the first 9 outs. Wow. lol

 

Technically it took them 77 pitches to get 9 outs, then 28 pitches to get the next one

[Dojji]

Steve Pearce, what a pick up.

 

One of the best midseason grabs in recent Red Sox history.

[Bellhorn04]

One of the best midseason grabs in recent Red Sox history.

 

And Kinsler might be right behind.

[moonslav59]

And Kinsler might be right behind.

 

Yes, and although Brasier was not a mid season pick-up (He was signed in March), we can add him to DD's wise lower level moves total.

[kenmeister]

Yes, and although Brasier was not a mid season pick-up (He was signed in March), we can add him to DD's wise lower level moves total.

 

And if Tyler Thornburg continues to pitch very well, I will at some point have to stop crying over lost Travis Shaw.